Cabaret Review by Andrew Poretz …
The three-night 2024 Cabaret Convention had a spectacular opening night, with Put On a Happy Face: A Celebration of the Music of Charles Strouse.For the first time in its 35-year history, the composer honored was “in the house,” as the kids say. (It helped that Charles Strouse, who is 96, lives just a couple of blocks from the Rose Room, on the fifth floor of the former Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle, where the Convention has been held for some years.)
Strouse, a living legend, wrote the scores for such Broadway musicals as Bye B ye Birdie, Golden Boy, Annie, and Applause (14 in total), and scores for such films as Bonnie & Clyde and The Night They Raided Minskys.
Modern vaudevillian singer and multi-instrumentalist Bryce Edwards, made his convention debut, pre-opened the event with an adorable “Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile” (Annie), with Edwards on banjo and Danny Bacher on soprano sax and harmony vocals. Jon Weber joined on piano with bassist -Ritt Henn and drummer -Sherrie Maricle, with the latter two members of the official house band for the night.
The evenings hosts, Jeff Harnar and Andrea Marcovicci, performed a delightful medley of “N.Y.C.” and “I Don’t Need Anything But You” (Annie)now with house band pianist Nicolas Perez.
For the most part, the songs were grouped by Strouse show, but not entirely.
Ari Axelrod brought his magnificent tenor voice and huge heart to deliver a gorgeous rendition of “Children Of The Wind” (Rags), with the song’s lyricist, Stephen Schwartz, accompanying. Axelrod was then quite stunned to receive the coveted Julie Wilson Award from the hosts. Well-deserved, Ari!
Leanne Borghesi strutted onto the stage like one of those gals who always show up in film noir nightclub scenes for just one big number. The statuesque beauty raised the roof with a “wowza” “Blame It On The Summer Night” (Rags), with additional accompaniment from clarinetist Jim Piela and trumpeter Joey Lamb.
When the hosts announced that scheduled guest Tovah Feldshuh “could not make it,” this reviewer knew the brilliant Feldshuh would make one of her trademark, over-the-top “in character” comedic appearances. In costume as the infamous and long late hotelier, Leona Helmsley, she cracked everyone up, even if those under 50 might have no idea who Helmsley was. She performed an improbable medley of “You’ve Got Possibilities” (It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman) and “Kids” (Bye Bye Birdie), with additional special lyrics by Feldshuh. Pianist James Bassi joined this number.
Karen Mason, with her long-time musical director Chistopher Denny, delighted with an emotionally powerful, well-acted “I Want To Be With You” (Golden Boy). The magnificent Craig Rubano thrilled with a soaring version of “There’s Always One You Can’t Forget” (Dance a Little Closer), with Beth Ertz on piano.
Karen Akers, in great voice, performed “It Would’ve Been Wonderful” (Annie Warbucks), with Rybeck at the keys. Her touching delivery was quite moving.
The dynamic vocal group Those Girls performed a terrific rendition of “Hard Knock Life (Annie).” Their harmonies, as always, were exquisite on this fun number.
The great Marta Sanders, in costume as a blowsy, drunk Miss Hannigan from Annie, bottle in hand, killed in “Little Girls,” with Alex Rybeck on the piano. She threw her “Annie” doll prop into the audience, only to replace it with an even smaller one.
The living legend Marilyn Maye closed out the first act with a tour de force “Put On A Happy Face” (Bye Bye Birdie) with Jon Weber at the keys. At 96 – two months older than Strouse – she sings with the vocal shops and energy of a woman half her age.
The second act continued the Bye Bye Birdie set with a fun version of “The Telephone Hour,” by the “Dial Tones,” a collection of talented performers from Don’t Tell Mama put together for this event. Instead of the old rotary phones of the show and movie, the performers used their cell phones. Gerry Diefenbach was on piano for this number.
Marissa Mulder, resplendent in a red gown, sang a sweet arrangement “One Boy,” with Jon Weber at the Steinway. After running through the entire number, she sang with just bassist Ritt Henn, and the song – performed in Birdie by a teen girl, became a sexy, adult, bluesy piece.
Marieann Meringolo’s swinging, gender-bending “A Lot Of Livin’ To Do” with pianist Doyle Newmeyr closed out the Birdie selections.
Young, statuesque beauty Madalynn Mathews sang a spectacular “Wanting” (Rags), with pianist Tanner Swinand.
Lee Roy Reams, who always has the best stories, was in great voice for the title song from Applause, with Alex Rybeck at the piano.
Maude Maggart, who is also making her annual New York appearance next week at Birdland, told the marvelous story of how her mom, Diane McAfee, met and fell in love with her father, Brandon Maggart, while both were in rehearsals for the original production of Applause. McAfee, who was present, was fired from her role as Eve Harrington in favor of Penny Fuller just before it opened, though later replaced Fuller. Maggart sang a lovely, sweet “The Best Night Of My Life” from that show, along with pianist Gerald Sternbach.
The always funny jazz cat Danny Bacher, soprano sax in hand, came out with his usual “show biz jacket,” wearing white gloves, for what amounted to a vaudeville number. He took on “Take Ten Terrific Girls and Only Nine Costumes” from The Night They Raided Minsky’s. At one point, he began to remove his glove, which was some eight feet long. “This one’s for Nips,” he declared, referring to a stripper character he mentioned earlier in the bit.
Jeff Harnar saved for himself a terrific number, “Night Song” (Golden Boy), which was a very personal number for him. He was moving and sang beautifully.
After Marcovicci’s dramatic reading of “Once Upon a Time” (All American), the hosts performed a hilarious “Those Were The Days,” the theme song from TV’s “All In the Family” written by Strouse and Adams, with Harnar taking on the Edith Bunker role.
Crowd favorites, the Moipei triplets, performed an intricate “Tomorrow” (Annie) to close out the show before the all-cast reprise.
Other performers included Lumiri Tubo on “No Man Is Worth It” (Dance a Little Closer) and Ann Anello on “Welcome To The Theater” (Applause), with pianist Richard Danely.
This was a fine start to the 2024 Cabaret Convention.
Photos: Maryann Lopinto, except where indicated